Combined ironing board and stepladder



June 14, 1927. o. Da wol-.F

COMBINED IRONNG BOARD AND STEP LADDER mw Feb. s, 192e 2 sheets-sneer 1lill( 14 1927. 1632 721 June c. D. woLF consum RONING EGARD Ami STEPLADDER Filed Feb. s, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 ysupporting means beingreadily set up in pof Patented .lime 14, 1927.

CHARLES DANIEL WOLF, or minis,`r ILLINOIS.

This invention relates vto Y 'combined ironing boards and step ladders.

The object is to provide a strong and durable structurel for domestic`use which may be easily'landfquiclly set up in the form u of anironinglboardrigidly mountedv in the proper elevatedy positioiivtor beconveniently operated upon, said structure including means, when thusarranged, for supporting a basket or other container beneath the ironning boardfand close to the door in an accessible and yet voutv-of-the-way positiom' said sition for use.

Another object is to provide .fa supple,

'mental board to Abe used in connection with vthe mainironing board2 forthepurpose-of .ironing sleeves or other similar parts or articles ofapparel` the samebeing easily Y supporting the clothes afterthe'yyarepropf attached in position abovev and in spaced relationto the mainboard and. at oneend or the other thereof, as desired, the connection ibeing such asto rigidly hold the sleeve vboard and prevent any,rrelative movement thereof. iifurther object is'to provide ineansfor erlyironed to preserve them in folded and creasedmcondition, saidmeansbeing'in the forni ofia rack7 which may be readily ap-QV pliedtothe ironing board toprovide a plurality of independently swingablearms mov-1 able into positions so as nottointerfere iwith each other-andover whichthefolded artieles may be hung, the same being locatedat oneend ofthe ironing board and Vallowing ample s space for theoperatoratfeithersideof `the lported by the ironing board, now :onstitut-` ingajstrut, there being noy projecting parts to interfere with themovements or the free 'use of the ladder, thestructure being providedYwith means for securely housing and.

holding'tlie basket support; the sleeve'firon1 ing board andthe clothesrack within the confinesof the'devicevwhen set up asa lads denand theentire devicebeingieasily folded Atuthe upper ends the stiles -lareanguorclosed into a flat `form to be conveniently storedaway when notinuse. *1

` and complete understanding i.

i n Application iled February in folded position. y i e l lThestructurecomprises a pair of spaced, :I y elongated members l,preferably formed ofV ooiviiiiiviiii IRoNINe" nonni) AND STEPLA'DDER.

3,V 192e. serial No. 85,734.

Vinvention maybe obtained froma consideration of' the following detaileddescription,

taken in connection 'with the accompanying drawings forming av part ofthisspeciiica-l UNITEDSTATESQPATENT OFFICE tiemit being understood thatwhilel the.v drawings show a 'practical form of the in"l vention, thelatter is not to beconfined to strict conformity with the showingAthereof but maybe changed or modified, so long'as suchV changesV ormodifications mark no ma- `terial .departure from the salient featuresof thev invention, as specilically pointed outv4 in the appended claim.r

In thedrawings, in which similarreferyence characters designate.corresponding` parts throughout 'theseveral iguresz`- Figure l is aperspective view ofthe struc- Vture set up as an 'ironing board.

,Figure 2 is al vertical,` ,longitudinal section through thesame.y r

Figure?) is a perspective view ofthe defV vice converted into a stepladder.v

` Figure 4: isa detail sectiontalienon the'` the light, strong wood vofa length and `thickness to `withstand the strain Lofironing operationsor toysustain the weight of aper-` e son, as saidniembers are adapted tocon-V stitutethe main supporting legs of the ironfA ingboard Uas wellas. the. stiles of the step Aladder,when the` structure is convertedinto such forms, and vfor `convenience the said l members willpbehereinafter referred to as Stiles.; K' y Thestiles 1 maybeformed withparallel side edges as shownin the drawings, or the same `may taper fromtheir upper to their vlower endsif *desired` the said lower ends beingcutffin an angular .manner to provide. different.bearing'surfaceslla and1b respeC tively, the surface l?. resting uponthe, floor when the device`isin use as an ironing'board, :while thelother surfaces 1* functionlilief `wise when in use as vastep ladder.` l

larly. out to reeeiv'evan end board 2 andan i Q appenni beard ape-fici;being' se;

tit:

`cross har 7 o'l'l the supplemental trame.

curely nailed or otherwise secured in posiinto longitudinally disposed,spaced slots 1T tion to rigidly connect the two members toout in fromthe l'ree end ot the ironing gether at this end, while the lower endsboard 10, or into similar slots tb formed at thereot are connectedtogether byv a hoard the other or hinged end ol' said hoard. i, spacedsomewhat. from the lower ends ot' lVhen the bars l5 arc thus engaged,the the same and arranged at an angle thereto to cross cleL ts supportthe sleeve board eleconstitute the tower s-tep ot the tadder. vatedabove the main'ln'iard. and the trans- At an intermediate point betweenthe verse bar lt bearing beneath the longue por ends et the stiles 1.there is prt-)vided a transtion formed between the slots 1T or 1S,eti'ec- `verse pivotal rod 5, the ends et which are 'i tually preventsthe sleeve board trom rocksuitahly secured in the stiles souiewhat in;lor n'ioving. nearer to their upper ends than to the lower lfn order toapply the sleeve hoard to the ends thereof. Mounted to swing' upon thehinged cud oi" the main board. the latter hasy pivotal rod is asupplemental trame having its central portion cut out at the end, as in-Afide hars bearing against the inner faces dicated at 1 5), whichpermits the cross bar Vtti ol the stiles. and joined together at theirot the holdingv strap to pass down together upper ends by a crossvbar Tarranged at an with the side bars l5 so that the latter may angle to thebars t5 and constituting' the top enter the slots 1S at. that end and beheld in step ot the device when arranged as a step position in the same.manner, and in order to iadder, as shown in Figure 3 of thedrawfacilitate such action, the top or platform ine', the remainingsteps S beine' mounted board 3 is bevellcd between the hinges i), as inbetween the side bars t5 in regular spaced shown at 2t), thuspermitting' the hars '15 to relation and angularly thereto to coact withrock slightly to introduce same into the slots the lower step 1 carriedby the stiles. The 1S ot the main board. supplemental traine, when swungabout the rIhe board ,ttl is further provided with pivotal rodv intocrossed relation to the spaced, longitudinallyY alined sockets 21stiles, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, serves in''lltormed at each endbetween the slots 1T and conjunction with the latter to support the;ll1S respectively and the supporting cleats device as an ironing` board,the lower endstjl of the sleeve board cach has a depending o ot the sidebar-s 6 beine` formed at an pin 22 adapted to tit thereinto to .furtherangle to rest upon the floor, as do the faces, anchor the sleeve boardupon the main 1 et the said stiles. .-iboai'cl.

Secured to the front edge of the top or Then the device is arranged asan ironnlatt'orm board IZ, as bynieans of ordinary nintr board, with thestiles 1 and the supplehinges 9, is an ironingl hoard 10, theoppojmental 'traine in crossed relation, and the site, tree end ot whichmay be tapered inl `jironine; board 10 resting upon the upper end theusual manner. said board being adapted said supplemental trame, thetendency is to be supported in elevated position over the, tor thelatter to slide along the under face floor by means ot the hingedconnections IOt the board away from the hinged end otI with the stilesat one end, and by resting, thelatter, and to prevent lsuch movement, atan intermediate point, upon the upper the board 1t), is provided with analnitment in the torni ot a transverse cleat or strip 2li The ironing'board, as thus far described, located adjacent to its center and adaptedresembles other toldable ironing' boards tor t0 hear against the topcross har 7 ot the domestic use, but the present inventionconsupplemental traine and the strip 2) carries templates the use, inconnection therewith, a latch T adapted to be swung into engageot adetachable .rack 1()a tor holding' the ar ment with a headed stud 7" onthe cross har ticles atter they have been ironed, creased or 'i' inorder to prevent separation of the parts folded in a manner to preventdamage, a de- 7 and 23. tachable sleeve ironing board 11 and a vfold-'lhe cleat 23 is provided alone' its lower able stand or support 12 forholding' a tace with an overhangine' metal strip 2l. basket o1' othercontainer for washed clothes the terminals ot the overluuigrina portionhein an out. olf the way position off ot' the floor ing split to providesprint' tongues :25, as and under the ironing board 10. more clearlyshown in Figure :j ot the drawrthe sleeve board 11' has its free end 11ning. The cleat 213, together with the .st rip tapered to Yfacilitate,its introduction into Zit having;` the tongues 25, terminae shortsleeves or the like, and is held elevated above ot the side edges ot theironing;- board lt), the main ironing` board 10 by means of a and thelatter' also carries, near its outer. pair ot spaced, transverse cleats13 secured reduced end, another tranverse cleat 2t; near the outer endthereof and adapted to which also terminates short ot the tapered restupon the top face of the board 10. A side edges ot the board, and isprovided in metal strap 1st is secured to the sleeve board its edgeopposite to the cleat 2:3. with a at itsend, said strap having' sidebars 15 consocket or depression 2T over which extends nected at theirouter ends by a. cross bar 1G, a tace plat-e. 2S secured to the. exposedtace the said side bars 15 being adapted to slip ol the cleat i Sli llil

y lVlien device converted into the :toi-m of a ladder, asshown in Figure3, orv

`when it is desired to do ordinary ironing upon theinain, board l0, thesleeve board be fhoused and carried between the aforesaidlcleats and 26,with'the large butt eiid'ot'the sleeve boai'd bearing against `the cleat23 and vheld Jfrom escape bythe overhangii'ig strip L4,`tlie springtonguesrv 25 permitting the entrance Vof theA end of thev sleeve boardbyv flexing the same outwardly and allo'wingvfkthe sleeve board to beslidl Lin transverse'direction, after the other or vpointed end-oit the.sleeve board has been placedv within the aforesaid .socket 27, asclearly shown in Figur-'e 3;4

, `The stiles 1 are provided adjacentto the aforesaid Vstep 4, withlongitudinally dis'- osed slots QQ'arranred somewhat. nearer to 40,"are`a'plurality'ol 'coils 4l constituting terminal hubsof swingable rods oi`arms 42, formed `of vsuitable rody iron, the-said khubs bearing vagainsteach other and serving l,tov

. holdthe arms 42 in horizontal position up- 'on the posts, and kat thesame time permittino' the armste be swung at an .anale to C i b C beoutot thewayV of the operator andto receive the folded vclothes so astoavoid one'piece interfering with another.

Theironing board l() carries other spaced, "transverse cleats 4.3located at the hinged @ndt-hereof and spaced apart a sutlicie'nt dis-k ftanoeto permit the clothesQrackV trarnek 89 to be placed therebetween,after the swing ving arms 42 have been folded inwardly to overlap eachother, as clearly shown in Figone edge.. of the' stilles lthan, to theother,and

mounted toslide in saidslots'y is n tie rod 3() havin alheadl at one endbearinv' ao'ainst ab D t;

la. washercontactin4`g`V with/the outer `face Lof 'f the adjacent stile,and at the other lendk be# ing provided with a" thumb nut 32 whichl maybindthe tie rod at 'any pointalong the opposed slots 29. The lower, treeends oi the side bars 6 of the supplemental frame are slotted as at 33,and when the said frame is swung toy closed position Vto `complete thestep ladder, the tie-rodBO is loosened and moved upwardly to enterthe'said slots 33,

When the supplemental frame is folded `within'the stiles 1, andy themain ironing board 10 acts as a strut for the step ladder, Athe saidboard is prevented fromv slipping Vaway Jfrom the ladder proper by achain 34 ,j whereupon the thumb nut may be' tightened'f to rigidlyholdthe supplemental :trame in position, for use asa -step ladder.

having one terminal linksecured to thepivotalrod 5 and carrying Vat itsother end ai hook` 35 adapted to be engaged-in an eye 36 ycarried vbythe vaforesaid cleat 23 of Vthe ironing board.V A

Mounted on the outer face vof the end Vboard 2 of the Stiles, is a pairof spaced metal sockets 37 into which is adaptedto Vbe placed thedepending side arms or posts 3850i a metal frame 39, the said sock-etsand posts being located adjacent` to theends oii' said end board, sothat the frame is substantially as wide* as the ironing board.`

Y sun'nortino' cloth-es ,aft-er, vthe 'same have been Viro'ned andfolded or creased, and the side arms or posts are held together,interures 3 and 5. In orderfto prevent dislodgement ot the rack frame,each cleat 43 ispro,v

vided with.` an overhanging metal strip 44 beneath which the upper crossbar of the y frame and the termina-ls of the` posts 38 et the clothesrack are adapted to be .engaged`,the ends of that strip 44 nearestftothe aforesaidhinges v9 being `:termed into spring tonguesr45topreventthe frame from and becoming dislodged from its seat.` v

The cleat 43 adjacent to vthe hinges 9 is further provided with apassageway 43a betweenits endsand flush with the under side of theironing board 10, so asfto permit moving transversely of the ironingboard e the aforesaid cross bar lfand supporting side bars 15 to passtherethrough and loecoine fully seated `at the ends ot the atoie e lsaid slots 18 at this end of the board 10.

The'basket stand 'or support '12 hereinbe-4 `'fore mentioned comprises aU-sliaped frame formed of stout bar or strip iron and having spaced sidearms 46, the free terminals of which are independently pivoted to theinner faces of the Stiles l. bysuitable pivot pins 47 and adapted`tobevfolded down bee The j'fraine, together with the parts about to bedescribed, forni a rack for receiving and mediate of their lengths-byaconnecting'y link or strap 4() which is adapted to rest upon the topsof the sockets 37 `when the rack is in position for use.

Mounted on the side arms or posts 38,

Y b tween the upper cross member of the frame 39 and the said connectingstrap or link tub or other receptacle containing the unironed clothes,legs 50 i are employed, the saine being termed of similar` metal andpivoted at one end` to the side arms 46 and adjacent to the swingingends of the latter where connected by the member. 48, said Y pivotsbeing` indicated at 5l. The legsv 50 are `joined together' intermediateof their ends, by a `cross bar 52 so asy to cause the same to be swungtogether, andthe lower, free ends of said legs are adapted torest uponfoot plates 58 secured to the inner faces of the stiles 1 and close tothe floor.

By folding the legs 50 upwardly. and within the side arms LlG of thestand and then swingingl the latter downwardly between the stiles, thewhole structure is entirely housed and out ol the way to permit the sameto be formed into a step ladder, and in order to hold the basket standin such housed position, one ot the side arms Ltti is provided with aninwardly extendingl indentation to provide a socket 5l adapted to snapover a lug or boss termed in a metal plate 5G which is secured to theinner face of the adjacent stile l.

From the foregoing" it will be seen that the several parts used inconnection with the ironing` board arrangement may be easily detachedand stored within the contines ot' the structure to permit of the samebeing readily converted into step ladder form, or folded tlat intocompact form for storing, and that the convenience of the l'oldablebasket stand, as well as the universally movable elothes-supporting rackbars will be fully appreciated, as well as the advantage of being ableto mount the sleeve ironing board at one end of the main board or theother to be most convenient tor right or le tti hand persons.

that is claimed is:-

In al device of the class described, spaced Stiles joined together attheir upper ends and havingl means ior supporting` the same in laddertorni, and also having one or more step-5 at their lower ends, asupplemental frame intermediately pivoted to swing between the stilles,said frame having side bars and coaeting steps, the side bars havingopen-ended slots in their lower ends. said stiles having longitudinalIblots in position to align at their upper ends with the slots of thetrame when the latter is swung between the stiles, said longitudinalslots extending7 down below the lower ends ot the side bars of thetraine, and a tie rod having a head at one end and a thumb nut at theother end and mounted in the longitudinal slots and adapted to be pushedup into the open-ended slots and the nut tightened to bind thesupplemental `trame in between the stiles.

In testimony that l claim the 'foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature.

CHARLES DANIEL VOLF.

